Charles B. Keeler was a master of atmosphere, capturing the awe of grand landscapes and the quietude of darkened city streets with his instinctive understanding of tonality. In “Road to Guejar,” he depicts a view of the northwest side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Granada, Spain. Guejar Sierra, a small municipality, rests on the highest ridge before the Mulhacen peak, along a road that winds up the range, and is a popular base camp for warm weather hikers and winter skiers.
Keeler likely sketched this image in late spring, when the peaks still sport residual snow. Lush, low-lying trees and tall shrubs crowd the foreground in contrast with the stark face of the mountain range.